Government Affairs

Paul HerreraGovernment Affairs Director

In mid May, TIGAR leaders joined thousands of colleagues
from across the country in Washington DC for Midyear Meetings. The annual event
includes meetings with most members of the U.S. Congress and Senate to press
issues critical to homeownership and organized real estate.

With the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) scheduled
to lapse at the end of September and a slew of other critical deadlines facing
a similar timeline, Congress agreed to a short-term, three-month extension to
allow work to continue through the fall.

That resets the countdown clock on the critical program that
allows mortgages on millions of homes that exist in 100-year flood zones across
the U.S. The National Association of REALTORS® is seeking passage of a new,
five-year reauthorization of the program. NAR worked with Congress and many
stakeholders to forge agreement on improvements and reforms to the NFIP as part
of the reauthorization plan this summer.

For REALTORS®, this means we should plan to again
communicate the importance of reauthorizing the NFIP as the new deadline
approaches in December.

New Real Estate
Advertising Guide Available

Beginning in January, REALTORS® will advertise under new
rules adopted by legislation in 2015. The rules are part of a REALTOR®- backed
law designed to simplify advertising and marketing rules across various mediums
used by real estate businesses.

C.A.R. worked closely with the Bureau of Real Estate and
lawmakers to craft rules designed for clarity and to support the goal of giving
consumers the information they need about licensees.

To help with the transition, C.A.R. has created an extensive
online guide detailing the changes and how to stay in compliance come 2018. The
resource page is online at http://www.car.org/riskmanagement/tools/advertising.
You will need to log in to the C.A.R. website to access the materials, which
include detailed information, images and more.

Support our
Mission, Support the REALTOR Party

The most important thing each member can do to support our
government affairs work is to stay informed and help spread the word on
important issues to your colleagues, clients, friends and neighbors. Nothing is
more important than your time, including the time you devote to making your
voice heard at the ballot box each election day.

However, our work is also backed by the generous support of
members who understand the importance of our advocacy mission.

In 2017, we hope that all TIGAR members will consider making
a voluntary contribution of $49 or more with their membership renewal to
support the REALTOR® Party and our efforts to protect and promote the American
Dream of Homeownership.